WE CARE FOUNDATION AWARDED $74,000 GRANT

The We Care Foundation of Indian River County has received a grant for $74,000 for the period 2018-19 from the Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (FAFCC). This is the third year the We Care Foundation has applied and been granted funds for We Care Clinic operational, personnel and programmatic costs.

The FAFCC is a membership organization of Free and Charitable Clinics which members represent 45 counties in Florida. The Florida Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (FAFCC), a not-for-profit 501c3 organization currently headquartered in Miami, represents and supports Florida’s free and charitable clinics and networks through public policy advocacy, funding and resource development, knowledge exchange, data collection and research, and marketing.

“The FAFCC grant is integral to balancing the cost of administrative necessities and direct patient benefits at the We Care Clinic,’ said Shelley Stuven, We Care Foundation Executive Director. Medical professionals at the We Care Clinic arefunded by the Indian River County Hospital District. The Florida Department of Health in Indian River County manages the Hospital District grant and is the administrator for all We Care Clinic employees.

The We Care Foundation of Indian River funds administrative staffing to allow medical professionals to do what they do best – take care of patients, Stuven said. The administrative staff includes an office manager/eligibility specialist who monitors clinic flow, determines patient eligibility, assists patients in applying for drug manufacturer programs for discounted or free high cost medications and supports the clinical staff.

A Social Worker has also been added to the staff roster and is also funded by the We Care Foundation. We Care patients often have needs that can directly or indirectly affect their health, and the social worker can help patients maneuver through options and programs and paperwork.

Both of these services play an important role in patients’ health, and the We Care Foundation is committed to an overall excellent patient experience with the help of funds raised through our local community.